Nikon D750 versus Sony A6500

The Nikon D750 and the Sony Alpha A6500 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in September 2014 and October 2016. The D750 is a DSLR, while the A6500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a full frame (D750) and an APS-C sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 24.2 megapixel, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Nikon D750 and the Sony A6500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the D750 – represents 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

Body view (D750 on the left)

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Sony A6500 is considerably smaller (50 percent) than the Nikon D750. Moreover, the A6500 is substantially lighter (40 percent) than the D750. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist.
You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D750) and the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6500). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A6500, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside
a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another
camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table.
Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and
choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A6500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the D750, which puts it into a different market segment.
Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available.
Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting
and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be
found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D750 features a full frame sensor and the Sony A6500
an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A6500 is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Sensor size

With 24.2MP, the D750 offers a slightly higher
resolution than the A6500 (24MP), but the D750 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
5.97μm versus 3.91μm for the A6500) due to its larger sensor. However, the A6500 is a somewhat more recent model (by 2 years) than the D750, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

Sensor resolution

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the D750 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the A6500 (overall score 8 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.3 bits higher color depth, 0.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A6500 provides a better video resolution than the D750. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A6500 has an electronic viewfinder (2300k dots), while the D750 has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D750, the Sony A6500, and comparable cameras. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

Both the D750 and the A6500 are current models that good online retailers will have in stock. You can check the latest prices, for example,
at amazon. The D750 replaced the earlier Nikon D700, while the A6500 followed on from the Sony A6300.

Summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon D750 better than the Sony A6500 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

More compact: Is smaller (120x67mm vs 141x113mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.

Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 297g or 40 percent) and is thus easier to take along.

More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.

Sharper images: Has stabilization technology build-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).

More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the D750 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A6500 comes out slightly ahead of the D750 (10 : 9 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features.

D750 09:10 A6500

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the D750 and the A6500 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites. You can find the full text of the reviews, respectively, at cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, kindly get in touch, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.